The Maharashtra government officially informed the Bombay High Court on February 26 that it cannot allow Muslim cab drivers to offer Namaz at a temporary shed near the Mumbai Airport. The state cited serious security risks for refusing the site near Terminal 1 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). Following this refusal, the High Court directed the authorities to immediately find an alternative location for the drivers.
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Why was the permission denied?
The state government and police officials explained that the proposed site is located near Gate 9, which is a designated entry and exit point for VIPs. This makes the area a high-security zone where strict protocols must be followed.
Additional Government Pleader Jyoti Chavan stated that around 1,500 to 2,000 people gather to offer Namaz five times a day. The police emphasized that managing security for such a large crowd in a sensitive airport area is not feasible and could compromise overall safety.
What did the High Court direct?
After noting the government’s security concerns, the division bench of Justice Burgess Colabawalla and Justice Firdosh Pooniwalla issued a new directive. The court ordered the State and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to identify an alternative plot nearby.
The judges highlighted that the request should be considered on humanitarian grounds, especially during the ongoing month of Ramadan. Thousands of taxi and rickshaw drivers work long shifts at the airport and require a designated space for prayer that does not interfere with airport operations.
